Ernst J. Drenick; Obesity Expert, Ex-Official at VA Medical Center
Dr. Ernst J. Drenick, an expert on obesity and the former chief of general medicine at Veterans Administration Medical Center in West Los Angeles, has died. He was 77.
Drenick died Thursday in Los Angeles, his family said Tuesday.
Still practicing at the center at the time of his death, Drenick had been on the staff there since 1949. He had also been a professor of medicine at UCLA School of Medicine since 1955.
A prolific writer, Drenick was one of the 100 most-published authors in the professional Journal of the American Medical Assn. His research regarding obesity, fasting and metabolic complications resulting from surgery to curb obesity earned widespread national publicity.
Drenick pioneered fasting treatments for obesity 30 years ago, telling The Times: “People ask, ‘What do they do about hunger pains?’ You don’t have pains once you really get into a complete fast.”
A native of Vienna, Drenick received his medical education at New York University. He became a U.S. citizen and served with the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War II and during the postwar Nuremburg trials.
Drenick is survived by his wife, Ruth; son, David; daughters, Lizika, Rebeca and Teresa; brother, Rudolf, and four grandchildren.
The family has asked that any memorial contributions be made to the Ernst J. Drenick Research and Education Fund, West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center, Department of Medicine.
